ground me (keep the nightmares away)
by villainousunsub
Summary: PTSD JJ, set during Forever People. Sometimes you need someone to just be there, to pull you out of the darkness.


**Boy Genius**: Call JJ

Two words, all it took was two words. Emily knew that if Reid was reaching out to her-it wasn't a good sign. She didn't even ask him why. She didn't want to think of all the millions of possibilities why he would ask her, or what was so bad she needed to call her; she did know though that it was serious enough that JJ needed her, even if she never said it out loud.

Emily could barely breath as the phone rang. And rang. And rang. Finally, a voice answered.

"_You've reached Agent Jareau please leave your name and phone number. If it is important try again." _

"JJ. JJ, please answer me. I just need to know you are okay. Reid he-he is worried. If you could just let me know that everything is okay-" Emily took a deep breath, "Don't make me come to you, we both know it makes it harder." She let the message trail off, not sure what else to say.

After two hours with no response, and many texts later, Emily decided to bring the conversation to her in person. Emily knew there weren't many places JJ could be, not if Reid knew so much about the situation. On her way out the door she tried to call her once more, but again reached her voicemail. Frustrated she sat in her driveway, contemplating where to head to first. She called Will, but all he did was confirm that JJ was not home and complain about how she never is anymore. It took all she had not to hang up while he was talking, instead she focused on driving to the BAU.

As she walked into the bullpen, she noticed Reid reading at his desk. His bag resting on a chair next to him, packed and ready to go. He gave her a small smile and looked up towards JJ's old office. Emily could see the soft glow of the desk lamp coming from behind pulled blinds.

"I wondered how long it would take you to get here," Reid shut his book and slid it into his bag. "She asked for his file and hasn't left that office since then. I tried reaching out to her, to get her to eat, but-but I think if it is best if you talk to her instead. She listens to you."

"Thank you." Emily's eyes stayed focused on JJ's office as she spoke, "For staying with her. For letting me know."

Reid passed by and gave her shoulder a small squeeze before leaving for the night. Emily tightened her grip around her keys, building up courage to go up those couple little stairs. It is easy to make empty threats, to break empty promises, but to act upon them is a lot harder when it is someone you care about. And Emily cared about JJ, even if she kept trying to tell herself she didn't.

Before she knew what she was doing, Emily was knocking gently on the door and pushing it open. The dim light bathed JJ in warmth, making Emily almost forget why she was there in the first place. JJ didn't look up as she entered, too transfixed on the chair in front of her. Emily sat on the edge of the desk, hand placed not far from the file JJ had a deadly grip on. They sat like that for a moment, waiting to see if JJ would notice someone else in the room.

"We can sit here in silence until work tomorrow, or we can talk. It doesn't have to be about him, or what happened, we can talk about the thousands of edits Garcia has stored on her phone she thinks we don't know about. It is up to you. Just know that I am here for both, Jay."

Emily busied herself with reading the labels on the boxes stacked throughout the room, noticing that it had no order at all. She would have to have someone (probably Reid) come in a create an order or move them to a different location. JJ still hadn't moved in the twenty minutes she had been sitting there, her eyes never leaving the chair. Occasionally her jaw would tighten and she would mouth something but sound never came out.

She let her hand slide over so that her pinky was resting on JJ's. The slight touch seemed to draw JJ back to reality. Stormy eyes stared back up at Emily, lost and broken.

"It's okay. I am right here. You're safe here with me." Emily rubbed small circles onto JJ's pinky, "Do you want to talk about it?" JJ turned her gaze back to chair, she blinked a couple times but didn't make any other indication she noticed Emily.

Emily slid off of the desk and knelt next to her, placing a hand on JJ's knee before running it up and down her thigh. She tried to bring JJ back to her, to ground her once again. It didn't take long before she felt JJ start to relax under her touch, her breathing came deep and slow. JJ pushed her chair back slowly, distancing herself from the folder.

"I'm fine Em, you can go home." JJ refused to look Emily in the eyes fully.

"You're not fine. I can not leave you here like this. I'm here."

JJ shook her head and tried to pull further away. She came with little resistance when Emily rolled her back over by pulling gently on JJ's ankle. Her hands slid up until it was loosely grasping JJ's hand in her own. She brought it up to her lips and placed a chaste kiss to JJ's knuckles before letting them fall back down into the blonde's lap.

"I'm right here Jay, he can't hurt you anymore. I won't leave you again. I promise. I am not leaving again, I love you and nothing will change that. Yours for the keeping."


End file.
